Ever hear Jupiter's Radio

[k4lem]

I seem to recall a cheap radio and antenna tuned to 20mhz or there about schools used to detect these emissions. I would think they would be so weak such things as ground mounted dipoles would not recover them.http://www.astro.ufl.edu/jupdamdoc.html

[n8yx]

A pair of dipoles fed in phase will give a few DB gain...just enough to pull the Jovian radio storms out of the background noise.

If anyone wishes to try their hand at receiving these signals, it's best to use a receiver with a defeatable AGC - meaning, one you can turn completely off.

[K9STH]

As are signals from Taurus A, Virgo A, Sagittarius A, Cygnus A, and Cassiopeia A, to name a few of the strongest exterrestrial radio sources. Of course our nearby star, otherwise known as "the sun", is also a source of high level radio signals.

To get these sources a modified 2-meter converter tuned down to around 137 MHz works best.

You do NOT want to use an FM receiver. The signal from any of these sources and from Jupiter is basically AM noise and the limiter circuits in an FM receiver remove AM components from the received signal.

You definitely need to be able to turn off the AVC / AGC and to run the r.f. gain "wide open" to detect any of these sources.

A decent general coverage communications receiver with a minimum descernable signal level of 0.25 microvolts or better (most receivers today and most of the "decent" tube type receivers can do this) can receive Jupiter from just a dipole. What you are listening for is a series of "chirps". From the other galactic sources you generally are listening for increases in noise level.

As you get higher in frequency from 137 MHz there is a "hole" in the atmosphere between about 390 MHz and 450 MHz that reduces the attenuation of signals in that range and thus they are considerably stronger than signals on other frequencies until you get into the microwave range.

Radio astronomy can be fascinating. For more information go to the SARA (Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers) website:

http://www.qsl.net/SARA/

Glen, K9STH

[kg4kww]

Folks I have found a web site that has audio files of Jupiter's Radio. Check This Out.

Sounds of Jupiter
Brief Introduction (http://www.astro.ufl.edu/radio/sounds/intro.au)

S-Burst slowed 128:1 (http://www.astro.ufl.edu/radio/sounds/sburst128.au)

L-Bursts (http://www.astro.ufl.edu/radio/sounds/lburst.au)

S-Bursts (http://www.astro.ufl.edu/radio/sounds/sburstnormal.au)

Source:

UF Radio Observatory (http://www.astro.ufl.edu/radioobs.html)